Catenary hanger.



W. C. STARKEY.

CATENARY HANGER.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 6. 1912.

1,142,378. Patented June 8, 1915.

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W. C. STARKEY. CATENARY HANGER.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 6. 1912.

,1 1 4 2 378 Patented June 8, 1915.

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I provide WILLIAM CARLETON STARKEY, OF MANSFIELD,

OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE OHIO BRASS COMPANY, OF MANSFIELD, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

GATENARY HANGER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 8, 1915.

Application filed April 6,1912. Serial No. 688,937.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, -WILLIAM GARLETON STARKEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Mansfield, in the county of Richland and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Catenary Hangers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to suspension devices for trolley wires and has more particular reference to the class of suspension devices known as catenary hangers.

The object of my invention is to provide an improved device of this character which will be strong, durable and simple in construction, light in weight and effective and efficient in operation.

A further object of my invention is to an improved catenary hanger which may be readily and conveniently installed in position on or removed from the messenger wire without the necessity of twisting or turning it at an angle to the trolley wire or messenger wire, and can be hooked over the messenger after being attached to trolley wire and which will allow the freedom of movement necessary for rendering the system flexible as a whole.

To the attainment of these ends and the accomplishment of other new and useful objects hereinafter appearing, my invention consists in the features of, novelty disclosed in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts herein described and claimed, and shown in the accompanying drawings which illustrate my invention, and in which Figure 1 is a view in elevation of an improved catenary hanger structure embodying my invention. Fig. tion thereof at right angles to that shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a view of the upper portion of Fig. 2, showing the parts unlocked. Fig. l is a sectional view on line l& of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 2,

illustrating a slightly different structure wherein my invention is embodied. Fig. 6

is a view of the upper portion thereof at right angles to that shown in Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig 6, illustrating another modified structure embodying my invention. Fig. 8 is a view thereof at right angles to that shown in Fig. 7 and Fig. 9 is a sectional view on line 9-9 of Fig. 8.

In the drawings Ihave illustrated my in- 2 is a view in eleva-' vention as embodied in a catenary hanger used in the the system of catenary suspension for trolley wires wherein the wire is suspended in substantially a straight line from and below a single messenger wire, by numerous suspension devices positioned at relatively short distances apart. The present types of hangers now on the market either have a clamping device operated by screws or bolts by which the hanger is attached to the messenger wire, or are so formed at their upper ends that the hanger may be hooked over or onto the messenger w re. The former types are especially objectionable because they rigidly secure the hanger to the messenger wire and because the men are likely to drop and lose the parts while installing the hangers. Furthermore, they are expensive to manufacture, they increase the weight as a whole of the suspended structure and the operation of hanging trolley wires is extremely slow and cumbersome. The latter class of hangers in present use are objectionable more particularly from the standpoint of installation. They are so constructed that while the use of bolts or clamps is avoided, it is necessary in order to attach the hanger to the messenger wire to turn or twist it at various angles to the position in which it normally hangs, and the operation of installing the hangers isthereby extremely slow, cumbersome and diflicult. My improved hanger avoids all of these objections.

It will be seen by reference to the accompanying drawings that the member A. which is attached to the trolley wire may be of the form shown. The structure shown in the drawings is arranged for attachment to the grooved or figure 8 type of trolley wire. It comprises preferably a piece of extruded metal of suitable length and having a longitudinal groove or channel B in its under side to receive the trolley wire. It also has bendable lips or edges B which may be turned or bent into the grooves in the trolley wire to firmly hold the wire in position. On the upper side of the member A is a centrallyedisposed longitudinal web or fin A beveled oppositely from the center to the ends and constituting a convenientmeans to which the suspension member C may be attached. In the drawings the suspension member C is preferably made of a piece of strap metal. This admirably serves the purpose from the standpoint of strength and lightness in weight, and, as the length ing 2 in the fin A and bending its end into the form of a closed loop 3, as clearly shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 5. However, it may be attached in any other manner found best adapted to manufacturing and service conditions. 'At the upper end of the sus pension member C I provide an elongated loop 4 for the reception of the messenger wire D. This loop allows plenty of free movement of the hanger in all directions and renders the system as a whole perfectly flexible to the various shocks imposed upon' it by the pantagraph or trolley which moves with the car. This loop may be formed by doubling the end portion 5 ofthe strap metal back upon itself to form a hook, the doubled back portion 5 thereof being preferably parallel with the main portion 9 of the strap, and the bend 5 being made on a generous curve larger than the curvature of the messenger wire D. It will be noted that the under surface 6 of the bent end is curved in a longitudinal direction so that the messenger wire lies at a tangent thereto, the purpose of this being to enable the hanger to properly rest on the messenger wire at any angle to which it is likely to creep. It is desirable to close the lower end of the loop in order to prevent the hanger from being accidentally unhooked from the messenger wire, such for instance, as'by the upward movement imparted thereto by the traveling pantagraph or trolley wheel. For this reason I make another bend 7 at the lower end of the loop and bring the extreme end portion 8 of the strap to a point substantially parallel with and close to the main portion 9. The space between the portions 8' and 9 as shown is considerably less than the diameter of the messenger wire, so that the messenger wire cannot normally be passed therethrough, hence it is necessary to spring or spread these portions apart in order to get the messenger wire into or out'of the loop. If desired, a locking device may be provided for the end of the strap as a precaution against the spreading or opening of the loop due to the weight of the trolley wire. Thelocking device may be of any suitable construction, such for instance, as,

shownin Figs. '1 to 3 inclusive, or in Figs. 7 to 9 inclusive, although with the type shown in Figs- 9inclusive gecessary to make the lower bend '7 in the strap. As shown in these latter figures, the

portion 5 isbent downwardly parallel to the main portion 9 of the strap for a certain distance. A tongue 10 is struck up from the main portion 9 and serves to. close the lower end of the loop. Theend portion 11 of this tongue lies outside of and in contact with the portion 5 of the strap and prevents the portion 5 from being forced out of its normal position. The end 11 of the tongue and the extreme end 12 of the portion 5 may be slightly turned as shown, to enable the messenger wire to be readily sprung into or out of the loop. As shown in Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive, the lock may consist of a small. metal bandor ring 13 mounted on the main. portion 9 of the strap and adapted to slide; down over the extreme end 8 of'the strap and hold this end against spreading away from the main portion 9 of the strap. These; locking devices, however, may be dispensed. with if desired by extending the end'8 of the: strap upwardly to a point'close to the messenger wire in the upper bend 5 of the strap, as shown in Figs. 5 and '6. In this; form the end portion 8 is gradually spaced.

farther from the portion 9, so that the space- 14; at the lower end of the loop between the portion 8 and the main portion 9 of the strap is comparatively quite wide, where-- by the messenger wire may be readily started into the loop. It will be noted that the body portion 9 has a slight offset 15 close roe to the end portion 8 of the strap for the v purpose of making the loop of substantially uniform width. It will be noted that the strap is also provided with a gradual or' 7 general offset 16 below the loop in orderthat the weight of the trolley wire will be disposed substantially in a vertical line pass-1 ing through the center of the messenger-wire- -D, the advantage being that the hanger is perfectly balanced.

In the catenary system of construction of trolley wire suspensiomlas is Well known,

the trolley wire is suspended by numerous hangers distributed a short distance apart along the messenger wire. Oftentimes in open country the strap members of the hang ers collectively offer considerable resistance to position so that it lies at substantially right,

angles to the longit'udinalaxis of the messenger and trolley wires. This expedient materially reduces the total area of the hanger straps presented. to the wind and decreasesthe tendency of the wire to swing.

It is thus seen that my improved hanger possesses many advantages over the present hangers, especially from the standpoint of installation. In hanging the trolley wire a comparatively long stretch of trolley wire may be first provided with hangers disposed at proper distances apart, the work of attaching the hangers being done at a convenient place along the track or on top of a train of cars, and this stretch of trolley wire with the hangers attached may in one simultaneous movement be lifted by a number of men and the hangers simultaneously hooked or snapped over the messenger wire. No further work is required to secure the hangers in position, unless it be perhaps the simple act of sliding the locking members 13 downwardly, in the event that looking members are used. The hangers need not be angularly twisted or displaced in any manner to attach them to the messenger wire, and in consequence the work of installing miles of trolley wire may be carried on rapidly and extremely conveniently.

I claim:

1. Ina catenary hanger of the class described, a suspension member, having means for attachment to a trolley-wire and having its upper end doubled back upon itself to and messenger wire, said loop being form an elongated loop for the messengerwire, said end being so disposed with rela: tion to said suspension member as to form an entrance for said loop where through the messenger-wire may be passed while said hanger is attached and in the same angular relation to the trolley-wire in which it normally hangs, and means for locking said entrance to prevent the escape of the messenger-wire.

2. The improvements herein described comprising a trolley-wire and a messengerwire disposed one below the other in substantially the same plane, in combination. with a catenary hanger holding said trolleywire in spaced relation to said messengerwire and comprising asingle piece of strap metal, having means at its lower end attached to the trolley-wire and having an elongated loop at' its upper end through which the messenger-wire may be passed and which permits relativeemovement of the hanger formed by turning back the end portion of said strap in a double bend and bringing the end close to said strap in substantially parallel relation to the plane wherein said messengerwire and trolley-wire are disposed.

3. The improvements herein described Copies of this patent comprising a trolley-wire and a messengerwire disposed one below the other in substantially the same plane, in combination with a catenary hanger holding said trolley wire in spaced relation to said messengerwire and comprising a piece of strap metal, having means at its lower end attached to the trolley-wire and having an elongated loop at its upper end through which the messenger-wire may be passed while the hanger is in a substantially vertical position, said loop being formed by turning back the end portion of'said strap in a double bend and bringing the extreme end portion close to said strap in substantially parallel relation to the plane wherein said messenger-wire and trolley-wire are disposed, and means engaging said end portion ofsaid strap to prevent it from being sprung out of its normal position by the strains to which said hanger is subjected.

4. The improved suspension member for catenary hangers, comprising a single piece of strap metal having one end portion doubled back upon, and substantially parallel to, but spaced from itself, forming an elongated loop for the messenger-wire, the eX- treme end portion being turned upwardly and brought close to said strap, to form a substantially closed entrance to the loop whereby it must be sprung or forced away therefrom to permit the messenger-wire to be entered into the loop.

5. In a catenary hanger for trolley-wire suspension, a member adapted for attachment to the trolley-wire, in combination with an upstanding suspension strap having an elongated loop at its upper end formed by bending the upper end of the strap back upon itself and bringing a portion of the bent-back portion close to the body of the strap whereby the entrance to the loop is normally maintained closed to the passage of the messenger wire therethrough by the resiliency of the metal, the main portion of said strap below said loop being twisted into a plane substantially at right angles to the axis of the trolley'wire.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses, on this 3rd day of April A. D. 1912.

WILLIAM CARLETON STARKEY.

Witnesses:

J. ROWLAND 'BROWN, J. C. PAINTER.

may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of ZEatents,

Washington, .D. 0. 

